In a fluorescence measuring apparatus which measures, in a time-resolved manner, fluorescence generated in a sample, so as to acquire information such as fluorescence lifetime, the sample is pumped upon irradiation with pulsed pumping light from a pumping light source, and the fluorescence generated by and emitted from the pumped sample, the change in its intensity along with a lapse of time in particular, is detected by a photodetector such as photomultiplier. Then, the time waveform of fluorescence obtained by the fluorescence detection data outputted from the photodetector is subjected to a data analysis such as arithmetic operation executed in a data processing unit, so as to compute waveform data, fluorescence lifetime, and the like.
The time waveform of fluorescence obtained in such a fluorescence measuring apparatus becomes a fluorescence decay time waveform in which the intensity of fluorescence released after irradiation with pumping light pulses decays with time. In practice, however, the fluorescence time waveform is measured in a state where the exponential fluorescence decay time waveform derived from a fluorescent component and the time waveform of pumping light caused by the time waveform of apparatus response such as the finite pulse width of pumping light resulting from the apparatus are convoluted with each other.
Therefore, when computing waveform data, fluorescence lifetime, and the like by carrying out a data analysis, the fluorescence decay and apparatus response time waveforms are deconvoluted from each other by using the pumping light time waveform measured separately from the measured fluorescence time waveform. At the same time, the fluorescence decay time waveform is subjected to a fitting calculation employing a function system such as exponential function, so as to compute waveform data for specifying the time waveform and physical quantities such as fluorescence lifetime (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2911167).